Apparatus for teaching writing

ABSTRACT

A hollow container has a flat top surface and supports removably individual blocks, each carrying an opening shaped into a different letter of the alphabet. A plurality of blocks can be inserted above the surface. When paper is disposed between surface and blocks, user can move a pencil point through the block openings to write the corresponding letters on the paper.

'0 United States Patent H [H1 3,740,872 Ma 0 June 26, 1973 [54] APPARATUS FOR TEACHING WRITING 1,857,009 5/1932 Amor 35/37 UX Inventor: Victor 8. y Brooklyn, NYU 726,898 5/1903 Fry 35/36 Assignee= The Raymond Lee Organization. Primary Examiner-Wm. H. Grieb New York, Attorney-Richard S. Shreve, Jr. [22] Filed: Oct. 13, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 188,884 [571 ABSTRACT A hollow container has a flat top surface and supports [52] U.S. Cl. 35/37 removably individual blocks, h carrying an opening 5 1 Int. Cl. 60% 11/04 shaped into a different letter the alphabet A P 58 Field of Search 35/36, 37, as "Y of bbcks can be inserted the Surface when paper is disposed between surface and blocks, user can [56] References Cited move a pencil point through the block openings to UNITED STATES PATENTS write the corresponding letters on the paper.

2,887,790 5/1959 Hills 35/38 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUNZB I973 INVENTOR.

VICTOR s. MAYO APPARATUS FOR TEACHING WRITING SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directed toward apparatus which can be used in teaching individuals how to write.

To this end I provide a container having a flat top surface. Paper feed means manually operable in the container passes paper along the surface in proximity thereto. The container also supports removably a plurality of separate blocks, each block having an opening which defines, typically in script form, a different letter of the alphabet.

A plurality of such blocks can be disposed side by side removably above the paper, thus defining a word.

A person can then use a writing instrument, such as a pencil, by extending the tip into each block in turn and tracing the letters therein onto the paper, thus writing the word thereon. By this process, the person learns to write.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail plan of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail plan of a portion of the structure shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a plan of paper which shows words written in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. l5, a flat hollow container has a rectangular flat lid 12 hinged thereto at 14 with a fixed border 16 spaced from lid 12 by transverse slit 18. The lid 12 carries a parallel slit 20 adjacent hinge 14.

Parallel supply and take up rollers 22 spaced apart in the container parallel to the slits and rotatable by manually turning external knobs 34 carries a roll of paper 36 which passes over lid 12 and passes down through slit 20. Border 16 carries letters in picture form. Blocks of letters 38 are held in the container as shown in FIG. 2. Each block has an opening 40 defining in script form a different letter of the alphabet.

A slide member 42 engaging opposite sides of the container can be manually slid toward or away from either slit and overlies the paper in close proximity thereto. The slide member has an opening 44 adapted to accommodate removably four or more blocks, with opposite slidable stops 46 slidable in the opening and compression spring loaded at 48 to hold all blocks in the slot in proper adjacent position.

The user can then place a pencil tip or other writing means in the opening of each block, and by pressing down upon the paper, write the word on the paper defined by the blocks, such as the word ball 50. Thus an individual can be taught to write as indicated.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

1. Apparatus for teaching writing comprising:

a hollow container having a top lid adjacent a border, said lid and border being spaced by a transverse horizontal slit;

paper feed means manually operable for feeding paper upward through said slit to overlie the portion of the lid disposed therebetween;

slot carrying means secured to the container and overlying said paper; and

a plurality of individual blocks detachably disposed in the slot of the carrying means, each block having an opening defining a letter of the alphabet;

said lid having a spaced parallel slit through which said paper passes downward, and said border carrying picture forms of letters;

said slot means being slidable along the paper and being parallel to said slits.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including manually adjustable means to vary the length of said slot to determine the number of blocks disposable therein.

l l k 

1. Apparatus for teaching writing comprising: A HOLLOW CONTAINER HAVING A TOP LID ADJACENT A BORDER, SAID LID AND BORDER BEING SPACED BY A TRANSVERSE HORIZONTAL SLIT; PAPER FEED MEANS MANUALLY OPERABLE FOR FEEDING PAPER UPWARD THROUGH SAID SLIT TO OVERLIE THE PORTION OF THE LID DISPOSED THEREBETWEEN; SLOT CARRYING MEANS SECURED TO THE CONTAINER AND OVERLYING SAID PAPER; AND A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL BLOCKS DETACHABLY DISPOSED IN THE SLOT OF THE CARRYING MEANS, EACH BLOCK HAVING AN OPENING DEFINING A LETTER OF THE ALPHABET; SAID LID HAVING A SPACED PARALLEL SLIT THROUGH WHICH SAID PAPER PASSES DOWNWARD, AND SAID BORDER CARRYING PICTURE FORMS OF LETTERS; SAID SLOT MEANS BEING SLIDABLE ALONG THE PAPER AND BEING PARALLEL TO SAID SLITS.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including manually adjustable means to vary the length of said slot to determine the number of blocks disposable therein. 